@article{,

title = {Strandings and other records of mortality in the Arabian Sea},

author = {Collins, T.,Braulik, G.,Kiani, S.,Sutaria, D.,Rahim, Abdul.,Moshiri, Hamed.,Vanneyre, Laurence.,Baldwin, R.},

year  = {2012},

date = {2012-01-01},

journal = {submitted as a working paper to the small cetacean sub-committee at the IWC, Panama, June 2012},

number = {349},

keywords = {Arabia, Iran, Oman Sea, Strandings},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin of the Arabian region: a status review},

author = {Baldwin,R.M.,Collins,T.J.Q.,Van Waerebeek,K.,Minton,G.},

url = {https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=247:the-indo-pacific-humpback-dolphin-of-the-arabian-region-a-status-review&catid=13&Itemid=157},

year  = {2004},

date = {2004-01-01},

journal = {Aquatic Mammals},

volume = {30},

number = {319},

pages = {111-124},

abstract = {Records of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin sightings, strandings, and museum specimens in the Arabian region were compiled and used to review the distribution and status of this species. Nominal usage of Sousa chinensis (Osbeck, 1765) has been retained as a pragmatic measure, although the species present in the region resembles Sousa plumbea (G. Cuvier, 1828). Little is known about the ecology of this species in the region. Most available information on S. chinensis in the region originates from the Sultanate of Oman, where this species is among the most commonly recorded cetaceans. However, there is no absolute measure of abundance for anywhere in the region and the status of the species is unknown. Distribution is described for the region to include much of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, but notably excludes the Gulf of Oman. This discontinuous distribution suggests the possible presence of discrete populations within the region. Beach-cast/dead individuals represent nearly two-thirds of all records (n=303) of this species in Oman. Live sightings indicate unusually large group sizes (up to 100 individuals) in the Arabian Sea and Arabian Gulf. Occasional associations with Tursiops sp. and Delphinus capensis tropicalis were documented. Mating behaviour and the presence of calves were recorded in the months of April and May and calves are also reported in June, October, November and December. Threats to humpback dolphins in the Arabian region include incidental capture in fishing nets, coastal and offshore development (e.g. land reclamation, dredging, port and harbour construction), pollution, boat traffic, oil and gas exploration (including seismic surveying), military exercises and biotoxins associated with red tide events. Evidence for historic and current directed catches of S. chinensis is limited, but opportunistic hunting may occur. Intraspecific variation in cranial measurements of individuals from the Arabian Sea coast of Oman fall within relative values found in individuals from the Saudi Arabian Gulf coast. Cranial abnormalities were few. Recommendations are made for conservation management-oriented research focusing on stock identity and status assessments, as well as for monitoring of fisheries bycatch, clearer definition of other threats, continued specimen and sample collection and training of local scientists.},

keywords = {abundance, Arabian Gulf, Arabian region, Arabian Sea, associations, behaviour, Boat traffic, cetacean, cetaceans, conservation, development, Distribution, dolphin, dolphins, ecology, Fisheries, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, humpback dolphins, incidental capture, military, museum specimens, nets, Oman, pollution, population, populations, Red Sea, status, Stock identity, Strandings, tursiops},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, },

author = {Baldwin, Robert M.,Collins, Tim,Van Waerebeek, Koen,Minton, Gianna},

year  = {2002},

date = {2002-01-01},

journal = {International Whaling Commission, Scientific Commitee Document SC/54/SM6. Cambridge, UK.},

number = {318},

pages = {1-16},

keywords = {Oman, Review, Sousa chinensis, Strandings},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Records of cetacean "strandings" from the Maldives},

author = {Anderson,R.C.,Shaan,A.,Waheed,Z.},

year  = {1999},

date = {1999-01-01},

journal = {Journal of South Asian Natural History},

volume = {4},

number = {12},

pages = {187-202},

abstract = {Published records of 26 cetacean strandings are reviewed, and an additional 56 records are presented.  the sperm whale is the most frequently reported species, accounting for about half of all reported strandings.  Blue whales most often strand on Maldivian and other south Asian coasts during January to April; we suggest that they migrate from the central Indian Ocean to the western Arabian Sea to feed on upwelling-associated plankton during July to October.  Eight other species are positively identified, including the gingko-toothed beaked whale.  Floating carcasses of dead cetaceans drift with the monsoon currents and so are found most commonly off the west coast during the southwest monsoon season, and off the east coast during the northeast monsoon season.  Cetaceans are not hunted in the Maldives, but there is evidence that some cetaceans killed by the fishing activities of other countries drift into Maldivian waters.},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, Blue whale, blue whales, Central Indian Ocean, Indian Ocean, Maldives, sperm whales, Strandings},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) recorded off Sri Lanka, India, from the Arabian Sea and Gulf, Gulf of Aden and from the Red Sea },

author = {De Silva,P.H.D.H..},

year  = {1987},

date = {1987-01-01},

journal = {Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society},

volume = {84 },

number = {357},

pages = {505-525},

abstract = {Cetacea is a highly specialized oceanic group of mammals with several of its species undertaking long migrations, often exceeding thousand miles during a single journey. During these migrations from cold polar and subpolar seas to warmer tropical and subtropical waters and their return to polar seas in summer both individual and mass strandings have very often occurred in many parts of the world, including Sri Lanka, India and the Arabian Gulf. The Cetacean records dealt with in this paper are of countries which lie at the extreme southern margin of the vast land mass of Asia with no land other than a few islands and vast stretches of the Indian Ocean between them and the Antarctica. Sri Lanka, in view of her geographic position at the southern extremity of this vast land mass (5ø 55' and 9§51'N latitude and 79§41' and 81§ 54' E longitude) has become a passing point in the movement of oceanic species including the larger whales. It has been suggested by Deraniyagala (1945, 1960b) that the movement of larger species towards the tropics from the southern temperate zone is partly associated with the periodic influx of Antarctic water toward the tropics. It is however, now fairly established that several larger species such as the Blue whale, the Fin whale and the Humpback whale show a regular migratory cycle. The majority of strandings recorded in this paper deal with individual strandings. Nevertheless there have been instances of both mass stranding and of apparent suicidal behaviour. This paper deals with 30 Cetacean species from the region. Of these records, records from Sri Lanka total 23 species, from India 24 species, from Pakistan 17 species, from the Gulf of Oman 10 species, from the Arabian Gulf 9 species, from the Gulf of Aden 6 species and from the Red Sea 7 species. Reference is also made to a skull of Delphinus tropicalis van Bree in the Colombo Museum (Skull No. 15 B) which appears to be its first record from Sri Lanka. Mention is also made of a specimen of Neophocaena phocaenoides (G. Cuvier) collected from the Wadge Bank by the Smithsonian Carangid Survey Team in March 1970 and of two incomplete skeletons of Balaenoptera physalus (Linn‚) (probably mother and calf) in the Zoological Museum, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All these specimens were identified by me. It is evident from this study that our present knowledge of the Cetacean fauna of the Indian Ocean is far from complete and that much could be accomplished by scientific institutions in the countries in the region by diligently maintaining proper records of sightings and strandings (with photographs) and by undertaking joint study surveys. It is gratifying to note that Sri Lanka, in recent years has been making much headway in this regard. During the last few years the Tulip Expedition led by Dr. Hal Whitehead has been studying the larger whales, especially the larger whales off the east coast and Dr. Stephen Leatherwood Of Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute (Marine Science), San Diego, California has recently published (1985) a summary of available information on the Cetacea of the Indian Ocean Cetacean Sanctuary on behalf of the National Aquatic Resources Agency for Sri Lanka. It is hoped that the present paper will further stimulate interest among the scientific institutions in the region and help to increase our knowledge of a group of remarkable animals at least as far as the species which inhabit and visit our seas.has become a passing point in the movement of oceanic species including the larger whales. It has been suggested by Deraniyagala (1945, 1960b) that the movement of larger species towards the tropics from the southern temperate zone is partly associated with the periodic influx of Antarctic water toward the tropics. It is however, now fairly established that several larger species such as the Blue whale, the Fin whale and the Humpback whale show a regular migratory cycle. The majority of strandings recorded in this paper deal with individual strandings. Nevertheless there have been instances of both mass stranding and of apparent suicidal behaviour. This paper deals with 30 Cetacean species from the region. Of these records, records from Sri Lanka total 23 species, from India 24 species, from Pakistan 17 species, from the Gulf of Oman 10 species, from the Arabian Gulf 9 species, from the Gulf of Aden 6 species and from the Red Sea 7 species. Reference is also made to a skull of Delphinus tropicalis van Bree in the Colombo Museum (Skull No. 15 B) which appears to be its first record from Sri Lanka. Mention is also made of a specimen of Neophocaena phocaenoides (G. Cuvier) collected from the Wadge Bank by the Smithsonian Carangid Survey Team in March 1970 and of two incomplete skeletons of Balaenoptera physalus (Linn‚) (probably mother and calf) in the Zoological Museum, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All these specimens were identified by me. It is evident from this study that our present knowledge of the Cetacean fauna of the Indian Ocean is far from complete and that much could be accomplished by scientific institutions in the countries in the region by diligently maintaining proper records of sightings and strandings (with photographs) and by undertaking joint study surveys. It is gratifying to note that Sri Lanka, in recent years has been making much headway in this regard. During the last few years the Tulip Expedition led by Dr. Hal Whitehead has been studying the larger whales, especially the larger whales off the east coast and Dr. Stephen Leatherwood Of Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute (Marine Science), San Diego, California has recently published (1985) a summary of available information on the Cetacea of the Indian Ocean Cetacean Sanctuary on behalf of the National Aquatic Resources Agency for Sri Lanka. It is hoped that the present paper will further stimulate interest among the scientific institutions in the region and help to increase our knowledge of a group of remarkable animals at least as far as the species which inhabit and visit our seas. A key to the identification of the species recorded from the region is given in Appendix. },

keywords = {Antarctic, Arabia, Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea, behaviour, Blue whale, cetacea, cetacean, cetaceans, Delphinus tropicalis, dolphin, dolphins, fin whale, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Humpback Whale, India, Indian Ocean, mammals, marine, migration, Neophocaena phocaenoides, Oceanic, Oman, Pakistan, Porpoise, Red Sea, sanctuaries, skull, Sri Lanka, stranding, Strandings, survey, whale, whales},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Humpback whale - first record in Sind coastal waters.},

author = {Ali, Mohammad. Hamid.},

year  = {1984},

date = {1984-01-01},

journal = {WWF Pakistan Newsletter},

volume = {Vol. 3},

number = {4},

pages = {5-6},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, Humpback Whale, Pakistan, Strandings},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Remarks on the distribution and migration of whales},

author = {Slijper,E.J.,Van Utrecht,W.L.,Naaktgeboren,C.},

year  = {1964},

date = {1964-01-01},

journal = {Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde},

volume = {34},

number = {475},

pages = {4-86},

abstract = {The authors gained the cooperation of the Netherlands Association of Ship Owners and the Royal Netherlands Navy in a project to collect all whale sightings from vessels sailing around the globe between 1954 and 1957. A total of 4500 reports of 11,000 animals were received, with the majority of observations coming from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Vessels were given identification guides and all reported observations were scored on the perceived reliability of the identification.  All Rorqual whales were grouped together, and a further distinction was made between humpback, sperm, right whales and "little piked whales" (minke whales).  Sightings were plotted in 10 degree squares according to number of whales observed per 1000 hours steamed in daylight.  Special attention is given to the observations of Captain W.F.J. Morzer Bruins, who the authors describe as a keen naturalist whose observations hold more credibility than those of others.  His observations in the Indian Ocean include a high number of sperm whales off the southern coast of Oman and the Gulf of Aden in January-March and April-June, a scattering of stranded blue and fin whales along the W coast of India, and only 2 stranded and 2 live humpback whales (strandings both in India, and live sightings near Yemen/Oman border? and off S tip of India (near Maldives?).  The larger number of compiled sightings from vessels are presented by species.  Rorqual sightings were plentiful in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea coasts of Oman and Pakistan, and in the Arabian Gulf (but not as plentiful as they were in the area between 30 and 40 degrees S.  The author concludes that the majority of the whales observed in the NIO do not belong to the Southern Hemisphere stock, but suggests that they migrate from the North Pacific through the Indonesian Archipelago and the Strait Malaya (despite very few observations here).  He briefly considers, but discards as unlikely, the hypothesis of a resident NIO stock.The total number of humpback whale sightings in the IO amounted to 500 (compared to 1618 rorqual sightings and 799 "whale" sightings).  The majority of animals were observed in coastal waters, and NIO sightings were generally concentrated in the months of Aug-Nov and Jan-April.  some of the highest recorded densities in the NIO are off of Pakistan  in the months of March, Aug, Oct, and December, but it is not clear how closely related this is to observer effort.  Observations are very few in May, June, July and September, and the authors do not link this to the monsoon -but rather conclude that the whales are not present at that time. Although few calves were observed in the NIO, those that were observed, were all observed in November, January or September (but no indication is given of calf size). The authors conclude that this is evidence that the observed whales do not belong to the S. Hem stock, but are more likely from the N.Pacific, despite the fact that there are "no sightings of humpbacks in the south China Sea or the Indonesian Archipelago that could support this assumption".  Sperm whales were observed with regularity throughout the year in the NIO, but in lower densities than Rorquals.  A low number of sightings in the NIO during summer months again leads the author to conclude that the animals either migrate South or to the N. Pacific.  This species, according to the authors is always associated with areas of high productivity.Minke whales were recorded in low densities in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Pakistan, but not in the central or Northern coasts of Oman.},

keywords = {Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Atlantic, density, Distribution, fin whale, Gulf of Aden, Humpback Whale, humpback whales, India, Indian Ocean, Maldives, migration, minke whale, minke whales, North Pacific, Oman, Pakistan, productivity, right whale, right whales, Southern Hemisphere, sperm whale, sperm whales, Strandings, whale, whales},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}